By Jane Renouf

IT’S a rare moment when 93-year-old Joan Newby is lost for words.

But 'Lady Ambleside', as she is affectionately known, was left speechless when she received the Paul Harris Fellowship from The Rotary Club of Ambleside, one of the charity's highest international awards.

Joan is famous for many things, not least her legendary coffee mornings and sales for Ambleside Cancer Care which have raised £125,000 for the charity in the past 25 years.

The award, rarely presented to a non-Rotarian, is in appreciation of the tangible and significant contribution she has made to others in a lifetime of ‘service above self,’ matching the highest ideals of the charity and its 1905 American founder, Paul Harris.

Joan, who contributes regularly to the Gazette’s nostalgia page and was the first recipient of its ‘Unsung Hero’ award last year, has played a major and highly active role in many local activities.

These included Girl Guides, Ambleside’s Rushbearing, Scottish Country Dancing, Ambleside Oral History Group and Cancer Care. Even Father Christmas and the Community Christmas Lights Committee have reason to be grateful to Joan, not only for her energetic support but also for providing safe storage in her garage for Santa’s sleigh, when not in use.

Praising Joan’s immeasurable contribution to numerous local causes, Rotary President Richard Attenborough also referred to her unique Ambleside photo collection, accessible to all on www.ambleside-history.co.uk and her lively and colourful memories of the town and its local characters: “If any of us can pack as much into 93 years as you’ve done, we’ll be doing well....and you’re still working hard!” he said.

Known for her quick wit and ready peals of laughter, Rotary’s guest of honour soon recovered her powers of speech: “I’m no St Joan!” she said. “Everything I do gives me a lot of pleasure, and the things I’ve done have only been with the help of others - Ambleside people are absolutely fabulous!”